The first step to living a more sustainable lifestyle is awareness. We are only able to reduce our plastic usage and consumption once we truly know the extent of it. Sadly, plastic (and other non-renewable materials) have become so integrated in our lives, that they are easily overlooked. Performing a simple Plastic Household Audit can be an eye-opening experience. An audit can help you become more aware of your daily plastic usage, and hopefully lead you to seek out more sustainable choices in the future.
We created a free worksheet for you to download and perform the audit. The worksheet is organized according to the rooms in your home. If there is not enough space to write down all the items – that’s ok! This is not a race. Fill out the pages below, and simply complete another audit once you’ve had a chance to use, recycle and replace some of your existing household plastics.
I was blown away when my plastic audit led to finding just over 60 plastic items that I use on a regular basis! The sad part is; I thought was very conservative with plastic usage.
Getting Started
This initial audit is meant to observe the consumable products we regularly use and replace. We want to make sure we include things such as:
- Fresh, frozen and non-perishable food
- Small kitchen appliances, tools and containers
- Cleaning products and tools
- Personal care products and tools
- Bathroom accessories
- Sport / exercise equipment
- Clothing accessories
- Storage or luggage
A great method is to complete the audit as you go through your daily routine and note down all of the plastic items that you use or come into contact with in each space.
Next Steps
Don’t feel bad! The important thing is that now we are aware of our plastic usage, and we can work on reducing it. I want you to take the next step with me – let’s Reduce Consumable Plastics in the Home. We’ll learn the best way to start implementing sustainable strategies in the home that will help us save money and reduce our consumption.
Have you done a plastic audit in your household? I’d love to hear about your findings and feedback in the comment section below!
Amber Roy is a modern day hippie on a mission to empower others to introduce more eco-friendly and sustainable lifestyle practices in their day-to-day lives.
She divides her time between Alberta and southern Italy with her husband, Stefano, and their daughter, Charli, where together as a family they continue to slow down and build a more sustainable life.
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